Al-‘Araj narrated that It was narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), "Allah's Messengerﷺ said, 'No one should prevent his neighbor from fixing a wooden peg in his wall." It was narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) (to his companions), "Why do I find you aayah to it? By Allah, I certainly will narrate it to you."
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Commentary :
Islam assigns great rights to neighbors, and the Prophet ﷺ enjoined Muslims to treat their neighbors nicely, and urged them to be kind and cooperative with them.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ commanded Muslims to be cooperative and considerate with their neighbors, and to give precedence to kindness and tolerance in some situations. One of the situations in which tolerance is urged is when a neighbor wants to fix a wooden peg in his wall, although the neighbor has no right to this wall and it is no co-owned by him. However, one of the rights of the neighbors over each other is to benefit one another, without causing any harm to either party.
It seems that some people in the audience who were listening to this hadeeth from Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) did not like what they heard and did not approve of it. Therefore, he (may Allah be pleased with him) said to them: “Why do I find you aayah to it?” It means, ‘Why do you seem dissatisfied with the ruling although it is established by the Prophet’s statement, and you refrain from acting upon it?” He (may Allah be pleased with him) added: “By Allah, I certainly will narrate it to you!” He (may Allah be pleased with him) meant to reproach them and lay more emphasis on this ruling by narrating the hadeeth often to them, even if they disliked it! It could also mean that if they disliked to let their neighbors fix a wooden peg in their wall, he (may Allah be pleased with him) would throw such wooden pegs at their shoulders, and not the walls. This meaning also implies emphasizing the gravity of denouncing the Prophet’s command and rejecting it.
The hadeeth underlines the importance of proclaiming the truth to people, even if it is hard and bitter from them to hear it!
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2465

Aboo Sa’eed Al-Khudree (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
The Prophet ﷺ said, "Beware! Avoid sitting on roadsides." People said, "There is no way out of it as these are our sitting places where we have talks." The Prophet ﷺ said, "If you must sit there, then observe the rights of the road." They asked, "What are the rights of the road?" He ﷺ said, "They are: lowering your gazes (from looking at what is unlawful to look at), refraining from harming people, returning the greetings of peace, enjoining good and forbidding evil."
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Commentary :
It is not permissible to harm or cause harm to a Muslim, be it a significant or insignificant harm. The Islamic Laws of Islam keenly recognizes and protects the rights and interests of all people.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ warned Muslims against sitting on roadsides; on benches, sofas, chairs, or mats, because sitting on roadsides often leads to harming the passers-by, causing them inconvenience by following them with one’s eyes, or narrowing the roads for the pedestrians and limiting their freedom to walk, and the like. Moreover, the one sitting on roadsides may be exposed to Fitnah (i.e., temptations), or imperil others to it, and the like of evils. People said to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ: “There is no way out of it as these are our sitting places where we have talks,” meaning that they could not do without sitting on roadsides, being their gathering places where they normally met to discuss their personal affairs, talk about their religious and worldly interests, engage in recreational activities by conversing about lawful matters, and comfort one another, and giving this up would be difficult for them. It seems that they understood from his words that it was for the purpose of warning, not an explicit prohibition, or that it was a non-prohibitively disliked act, because the Prophet ﷺ did not prohibit what was beneficial, nor did he ﷺ permit what was harmful. It is also possible that the prohibition of such an act was related to what was done during such gatherings, not for their own sake, and they believed that they could avoid this objectionable aspect for which the gatherings were deemed forbidden; otherwise the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) hastened to comply with the commands of Allah, Exalted is He, and His Messenger ﷺ. This is why their remarks were more inquiries based on what they understood from his statement, not opposition to him. Had they known that the prohibition in this regard was decisive, they would have hastened to comply immediately. The Prophet ﷺ answered that the prohibition was not of these gatherings in and of themselves, but rather to fulfill the rights of the roads. He ﷺ said: “If you must sit there, then observe the rights of the road,” confirming the Islamic etiquette and rights of the roads. They asked him about such rights, seeking his guidance, and he ﷺ replied: “They are: lowering your gazes (from looking at what is unlawful to look at), refraining from harming people, returning the greetings of peace, enjoining good, and forbidding evil.”
Lowering one’s gaze means refraining from looking at whatever is deemed unlawful to look at as per the laws of Islam, and guarding one’s eyes from seeing what is feared to be a source of Fitnah (i.e., temptations). For instance, one must lower his gazes from looking at what it is not permissible for him to look at, such as looking at women. He ﷺ made mention of lowering the gaze here as a reference to guarding oneself against sources of Fitnah in general (as one may be tempted by women or other passers-by), and consequences of looking at women as they walk down the roads to fulfill their needs.
Refraining from harming people means abstaining from harming others with one’s tongue (words), or hand (actions). This means that one must not verbally abuse passers-by, insult, despise, mock, backbite, or strike them by hand or a stick except rightfully (i.e., for a wrongdoing warranting it as per the laws of Islam). He may not usurp their wealth or belongings wrongfully, pour water on the road, lest it would cause the pedestrians to slip and fall, put obstacles hindering their way, throw dirt or thorns that would hurt the passers-by.People must also refrain from narrowing the roads to pedestrians and limiting their freedom to walk because of their gatherings on roadsides, and causing harm and inconvenience for neighbors by invading the privacy of their womenfolk in their houses and restricting their freedom,which may lead to forcing women to refrain from going out to carry out their errands to fulfill their needs to spare themselves the inconvenience of passing by the roads. In addition, sitting on roadsides also causes the ones sitting there to learn about people’s private conditions what they hate to reveal, and the like of harms that must be eliminated and warded off, and these include refraining from harming animals as well.
Returning the greetings of peace is a religious obligation, and it implies honoring the passers-by, because they greet the one sitting on roadsides and returning the greetings fosters accord and mutual love among Muslims. The one sitting on roadsides must not get frustrated with returning the greetings of the passers-by, because they are inclined to endear themselves to the one sitting on roadsides by greeting and honoring him. Therefore, the one sitting on roadsides should graciously return the greetings of peace with its like or one that is better; he should be gracious and recompense people’s love and consideration in kind. Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {And when you are greeted with a greeting, greet [in return] with one better than it or [at least] return it [in a like manner].} [Quran 4: 86].
Enjoining good and forbidding evil should be done by means of all the prescribed ways, while avoiding all the unprescribed ones, provided that it would not incur a graver evil, even if the one enjoining good or forbidding evil believes that his act is of no real benefit. If the one sitting on roadsides witnesses any incident that entails advising the doer and edifying him on the truth, he should enjoin what is good. The same goes for seeing what warrants forbidding the evil; he should forbid the evil deed and warn against it, stirring the fear of Allah within the doer. It should be noted that enjoining good and forbidding evil must be done in a loving and kind manner, and must not incur a graver evil than what is being forbidden. For instance, if he sees two disputing people arguing or fighting, he should enjoin them to stop such fighting, and reconcile between them; if he sees a young man chasing a girl or annoying her, he should advise him and prevent him from doing so to the best of his ability without doing anything reckless or causing harm to himself or others, and so on. He should also take into account the need to give priority to the most important and significant interests, and should bear in mind that the elimination of evil takes precedence over the realization of benefit and that the lesser evil may be endured to ward off the graver one.
This was a brief account of the Islamic etiquette of sitting on roadsides, and they also include: good speech, giving directions to a wayfarer, relieving the distressed, guiding the one who has got lost, helping the wronged person, helping people with their loads, and the like.
The hadeeth urges Muslims to treat one another kindly; the ones sitting on roadsides encounter many passers-by, and engage in many interactions with them, and they are required to treat them all kindly and considerately.
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2468

‘AbdullahNarrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him):
I had been eager to ask ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) about the two wives of the Prophet ﷺregarding whom Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {If you two [wives] repent to Allah, [it is best], for your hearts have deviated.} [Quran 66:4] (namely, ‘Aa’ishah and Hafsah (may Allah be pleased with them))till I performed the Hajj along with ‘Umar (and on our way back from Hajj) he (may Allah be pleased with him) went aside (to answer the call of nature) and I also went aside along with him carrying a tumbler of water. When he had answered the call of nature and returned. I poured water on his hands from the tumbler and he performed ablution. I said, "O Commanders of the believers! Who were the two ladies from among the wives of the Prophet ﷺ to whom Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {If you two [wives] repent to Allah, [it is best], for your hearts have deviated} [Quran 66:4]? He (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "I am astonished at your question, O Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them). They were ‘Aa’ishah and Hafsah (may Allah be pleased with them)." Then ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) went on relating the narration and said, "I and a neighbor of mine from the Ansaar, from Banee Umayyah ibn Zayd who used to live in ‘Awaalee Al-Madeenah, used to visit the Prophet ﷺ in turns. He used to go one day, and I another day. When I went, I would bring him the news of what had happened that day regarding the instructions and orders (i.e., the divine revelation) and when he went, he used to do the same for me. We, the people of Quraysh, used to have authority over women, but when we came to live with the Ansaar, we noticed that their women had the upper hand over their men, so our women started acquiring the habits of the women from the Ansaar. Once, I shouted at my wife and she paid me back in my coin and I disliked that she should answer me back. She said, 'Why do you take it ill that I retort upon you? By Allah, the wives of the Prophet ﷺretort upon him, and some of them may not speak with him for the whole day till night.' What she said scared me and I said to her, 'Whoever amongst them does so, will be a great loser.' Then I dressed myself and went to Hafsah and asked her, 'Does any of you keep Allah's Messengerﷺangry all the day long till night?' She (may Allah be pleased with her) replied in the affirmative. I said, 'She is a ruined losing person (and will never have success)! Does not she fear that Allah may get angry for the anger of Allah's Messengerﷺ and thus she will be ruined? Do not ask Allah's Messengerﷺtoo many things, and do not retort upon him in any case, and do not desert him. Demand from me whatever you like, and do not be tempted to imitate your neighbor (i.e., ‘Aa’ishah) in her behavior towards the Prophet ﷺ), for she (i.e., ‘Aa’ishah) is more beautiful than you, and more beloved to Allah's Messengerﷺ. In those days it was rumored that Ghassaan, (a tribe living in Shaam) was getting prepared their horses to invade us. My companion went (to the Prophet ﷺ on the day of his turn, went and returned to us at night and knocked at my door violently, asking whether I was sleeping. I was scared (by the hard knocking) and came out to him. He said that a great thing had happened. I asked him: What is it? Have Ghassaan come? He replied that it was worse and more serious than that, and added that Allah's Messenger ﷺ had divorced all his wives. I said, Hafsah is a ruined loser! I expected that would happen someday.' So, I got dressed and offered the Fajr prayer with the Prophet ﷺ. Then the Prophet ﷺ entered an upper room and stayed there alone. I went to Hafsah and found her weeping. I asked her, 'Why are you weeping? Did not I warn you? Have Allah's Messengerﷺ divorced you all?' She replied, 'I do not know. He is there in the upper room.' I then went out and came to the pulpit and found a group of people around it and some of them were weeping. Then I sat with them for some time, but could not endure the situation. So, I went to the upper room where the Prophet ﷺ was and requested to a black slave of his: "Will you get the permission of (Allah's Messenger) for ‘Umar (to enter)? The slave went in, talked to the Prophet ﷺ about it and came out saying, 'I mentioned you to him but he did not reply.' So, I went and sat with the people who were sitting by the pulpit, but I could not bear the situation, so I went to the slave again and said: "Will you get he permission for ‘Umar? He went in and brought the same reply as before. When I was leaving, the slave called me saying, "Allah's Messengerﷺ has granted you permission." So, I entered upon the Prophet and saw him lying on a bedstead made of date-palm leaves and covered with no mattress, and such mat had left its mark on the body of the Prophet ﷺ, and he was leaning on a leather pillow stuffed with palm fires. I greeted him and while still standing, I said: "Have you divorced your wives?' He ﷺ raised his eyes to me and replied in the negative. Then while still standing, I said chatting: "Will you heed what I say, 'O Allah's Messenger ﷺ! We, the people of Quraysh used to have the upper hand over our women (wives), and when we came to the people whose women had the upper hand over them..." ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) told the whole story (about his wife). "On that the Prophet ﷺsmiled." ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) further said, "I then said, 'I went to Hafsah and said to her: Do not be tempted to imitate your companion (‘Aa’ishah) for she is more beautiful than you and more beloved to the Prophet ﷺ.' The Prophet ﷺ smiled again. When I saw him smiling, I sat down and cast a glance at the room, and by Allah, I could not see anything of importance but three hides. I said (to Allah's Messenger ﷺ), "Invoke Allah to make your followers prosperous for the Persians and the Byzantines have been made prosperous and given worldly luxuries, though they do not worship Allah?' The Prophet ﷺ was leaning then (and on hearing my speech he sat straight) and said, 'O Ibn Al-Khattaab! Do you have any doubt (that the Hereafter is better than this worldly life)? These people have been given rewards of their good deeds in this worldly life only.' I asked the Prophet ﷺ, 'Please ask Allah's forgiveness for me.’ The Prophet ﷺdid not go to his wives because of the secret which Hafsah had disclosed to ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with them), and he said that he would not go to his wives for one month as he was angry with them when Allah admonished him. When twenty-nine days had passed, the Prophet ﷺ went to ‘Aa’ishah first of all. She said to him, 'You took an oath that you would not come to us for one month, and today only twenty-nine days have passed, as I have been counting them day by day.' The Prophet ﷺ said, 'The month is also of twenty-nine days.' That month consisted of twenty-nine days. ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said, 'When the Divine revelation of Choice was revealed, the Prophet ﷺ started with me, saying to me, 'I am telling you something, but you need not hurry to give the reply till you can consult your parents." ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) knew that her parents would not advise her to part with the Prophet ﷺ. The Prophet ﷺsaid that Allah Says (what means): {O Prophet, say to your wives, "If you should desire the worldly life and its adornment, then come, I will provide for you and give you a gracious release.} [Quran 33:28] ‘Aa’ishah said, 'Am I to consult my parents about this? I indeed prefer Allah, Exalted is He, His Messenger ﷺ, and the Hereafter.' After that the Prophet ﷺgave the choice to his other wives and they also gave the same reply as ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) did.”
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Commentary :
Like all married couples, the married life of the Prophet ﷺ was not trouble-free and his wives sometimes saddened him with their overjealously or other annoying attitudes.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) stated that he was keen to ask ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab (may Allah be pleased with him) about the two wives of the Prophet ﷺ about whom Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {If you two [wives] repent to Allah, [it is best], for your hearts have deviated.} [Quran 66:4].The Arabic word used in the hadeeth is Saaghat meaning deviated from the obligation and duty, and the ayah means, “If you repent to Allah, Exalted is He, your repentance is justifiable and called for, because your hearts have deviated from the truth and what is obligatory on you towards the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, keeping his secret, being keen on his comfort, and respecting his acts.
Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) remained keen on asking his question, but could not do so, out of his reverence for ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), until the opportunity presented itself when they went together for Hajj. Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) related that on their way back from Hajj, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) went aside to a deserted path, to answer the call of nature and Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) accompanied him carrying a tumbler of water, i.e., a small container made of leather used for carrying water. When he had answered the call of nature and returned, Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) poured water on his hands from the tumbler and he (may Allah be pleased with him) performed ablution. Afterward, he (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "O Commander of the believers! Who were the two wives of the Prophet ﷺ to whom Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {If you two [wives] repent to Allah, [it is best], for your hearts have deviated} [Quran 66:4]? ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was astonished at his question, given the fact that Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) was well-ayahd in Tafseer and this information should not have missed him. It is also possible that ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was astonished at his keenness on learning the ambiguous meanings of the Quran as reflected in his question. It was also said that ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) disliked the question. Anyway, he (may Allah be pleased with him) told him that they were ‘Aa’ishah bint Aboo Bakr and Hafsah bint ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them).
Afterward, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) went on relating the narration to him and said, “I and a neighbor of mine from the Ansaar,” named Aws ibn Khawlee ibn ‘Abdullah Al-Ansaaree (may Allah be pleased with him) from Banee Umayyah ibn Zayd, “used to live in ‘Awaalee Al-Madeenah,” i.e., the villages near Al-Madeenah, three or four miles away from it in the direction of Najd, “used to visit the Prophet ﷺ in turns. He used to go one day, and I another day. When I went, I would bring him the news of what had happened that day regarding the instructions and orders (i.e., the divine revelation) and when he went, he used to do the same for me. We, the people of Quraysh, used to have authority over women,” and they had no authority over us, “but when we came to live with the Ansaar, we noticed that their women had the upper hand over their men.” It means that the men from the Ansaar were rather more lenient with their wives. He (may Allah be pleased with him) added: “So, our women started acquiring the habits of the women from the Ansaar,” copying their attitudes towards their husbands. “Once, I shouted at my wife and she paid me back in my coin and I disliked that she should answer me back. She said, 'Why do you take it ill that I retort upon you? By Allah, the wives of the Prophet ﷺretort upon him, and some of them may not speak with him for the whole day till night.'” Another version of the hadeeth recorded in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim reads: “How strange is it that you, O son of Khattaab, do not like anyone to retort upon you, whereas your daughter retorts upon Allah's Messenger ﷺ until he spends the day angry!” ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) added: “What she said scared me and I said to her, 'Whoever amongst them does so, will be a great loser!'”
Then ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that he got dressed and went to Hafsah and asked her, “Do any of you keep Allah's Messengerﷺangry all day long till night?” She (may Allah be pleased with her) replied in the affirmative. He (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “She is a ruined losing person (and will never have success)! Does not she fear that Allah, Exalted is He, may get angry for the anger of His Messengerﷺ and thus she will be ruined?” ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) advised his daughter not to ask Allah's Messengerﷺfor too many things, not to retort upon him in any case, and never to desert him even if he ﷺ did. He (may Allah be pleased with him) also told her to demand whatever she wanted and needed from him, and added: “Do not be tempted to imitate your neighbor (i.e., ‘Aa’ishah),” meaning your co-wife, since the Arabs used to refer to co-wives as neighbors, as they share the same husband, “in her behavior towards the Prophet ﷺ), for she (i.e., ‘Aa’ishah) is more beautiful than you, and more beloved to Allah's Messengerﷺ.” ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) urged his daughter to follow his advice and warned her against being tempted by the fact that the Prophet ﷺ might overlook such behavior and attitude from ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with him) to follow her example. He (may Allah be pleased with him) meant that he ﷺ may tolerate ‘Aa’ishah’s behavior given her special status in his heart, and this would not be the case for Hafsah (may Allah be pleased with her)!
He (may Allah be pleased with him) added: “In those days it was rumored that Ghassaan,” (a tribe living in Shaam) from Qahtaan tribe who left the area around Ma’rib Dam, scattered, and settled by a well called Ghassaan and therefore they were named after it and lived in Shaam. He (may Allah be pleased with him) added: “Ghassaan was getting prepared their horses to invade us (Muslims). My companion went (to the Prophet ﷺ on the day of his turn), and heard the he ﷺ had divorced all his wives. He went at night and knocked at ‘Umar’s door violently, asking whether he was sleeping. ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) got scared (by the hard knocking) and came out to him. He said that a great thing had happened. ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) asked him: “What is it? Have Ghassaan come?” He replied that it was worse and more serious than that, and added that Allah's Messenger ﷺ had divorced all his wives. It is possible that the rumor was circulated by the hypocrites that he ﷺ divorced them, contrary to the truth as he ﷺ only forsook them, and this was unusual of him, therefore people thought that he ﷺ had divorced them.
‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “Hafsah is a ruined loser! I expected that would happen someday,” because retorting upon one’s husband incurs his anger and this may ultimately end in divorce. He (may Allah be pleased with him) named Hafsah in particular because she was his daughter and he had just warned her of the gravity of such an attitude.
‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) got dressed, went to the Prophet ﷺ and offered the Fajr prayer with him. Then the Prophet ﷺ entered an upper room, where they used to store food, and stayed there alone, forsaking his wives. ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) added: “I went to Hafsah and found her weeping. I asked her, 'Why are you weeping? Did I not warn you (of angering, retorting upon, or deserting Allah's Messengerﷺ)? Has Allah's Messengerﷺ divorced you all?' She replied, 'I do not know. He ﷺ is there in the upper room.' ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) went out and came to the pulpit and found a group of people around it and some of them, below ten, were weeping. He (may Allah be pleased with him) added: “Then I sat with them for some time, but could not endure the situation,” meaning that he (may Allah be pleased with him) was concerned with the news about the Prophet ﷺ and that he had divorced his wives, including his daughter! He (may Allah be pleased with him) added: “So, I went to the upper room where the Prophet ﷺ was and requested a black slave of his, named Rabaah: ‘Will you get the permission of (Allah's Messengerﷺ) for ‘Umar (to enter)?’ The slave went in, talked to the Prophet ﷺ about it and came out saying, 'I mentioned you to him but he ﷺ did not reply.' So, I went and sat with the people who were sitting by the pulpit, but I could not bear the situation, so I went to the slave again and said: ‘Will you get his permission for ‘Umar?’ He went in and brought the same reply as before. When I was leaving, the slave called me saying, ‘Allah's Messengerﷺ has granted you permission.’ So, I entered upon the Prophet ﷺ and saw him lying on a bedstead made of date-palm leaves and covered with no mattress, and the mat had left its mark on the body of the Prophet ﷺ, and he was leaning on a leather pillow stuffed with palm fibres. I greeted him and while still standing, I said: ‘Have you divorced your wives?' He ﷺ raised his eyes to me and replied in the negative.
While still standing, I said, chatting: ‘Will you heed what I say, O Allah's Messenger ﷺ!’” ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was trying to see if the Prophet ﷺ would forgive them or say something to comfort him and ease his anger. He (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “We, the people of Quraysh used to have the upper hand over our women (wives), and when we came to the people whose women had the upper hand over them..." ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) told the whole story (about his wife). "On that the Prophet ﷺsmiled." ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) further said, "I then said, 'I went to Hafsah and said to her: Do not be tempted to imitate your companion (‘Aa’ishah) for she is more beautiful than you and more beloved to the Prophet ﷺ.' The Prophet ﷺ smiled again. When I saw him smiling, I sat down and cast a glance at the room, and by Allah, I could not see anything of importance but three hides,” indicating the shabby appearance of the room where the Prophet ﷺ stayed. ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) added: “I said (to Allah's Messenger ﷺ), ’Invoke Allah to make your Ummah (followers) prosperous, for the Persians and the Byzantines have been made prosperous and given worldly luxuries, though they do not worship Allah?' The Prophet ﷺ was leaning then, and on hearing my speech he sat straight, disliking my statement, and said, 'O Ibn Al-Khattaab! Do you have any doubt (that the Hereafter is better than this worldly life)? These people, i.e., the Persians and Byzantines, have been given rewards for their good deeds in this worldly life only.'” Thereupon, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Prophet ﷺ to seek Allah's forgiveness for him, for his boldness to say so in his presence.
The Prophet ﷺdeserted his wives because of the secret which Hafsah had disclosed to ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with them), and this hadeeth did not underline the details of that secret. It was reported in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim that the Prophet ﷺ used to spend time with Zaynab bint Jahsh, and that he once drank honey at her house, so Hafsah and ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with them) agreed that the one whom the Prophet ﷺ visited first should say, “I notice that you have an odor of Maghaafeer (i.e., plural of Mughfur, the gum of a kind of mimosa, the odor of which is unpleasant)! Have you eaten some?” When he ﷺ visited one of them and she said that to him he ﷺ replied, “Do not worry; I drank some honey at the house of Zaynab bint Jahsh, but I swear that I shall not do it again. Do not tell anyone of that.” It was also said that the reason was not a particular event, but rather that his wives did many things that made him angry.
He ﷺ had said that he would not go to his wives for one month, as he was very angry with them when Allah, Exalted is He, admonished him. Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {O Prophet, why do you prohibit [yourself from] what Allah has made lawful for you, seeking the approval of your wives? And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.} [Quran 66:1].
When twenty-nine days had passed, the Prophet ﷺ went to ‘Aa’ishah first of all. She (may Allah be pleased with her) said to him, “You took an oath that you would not come to us for one month, and today only twenty-nine days have passed, as I have been counting them day by day.” The Prophet ﷺ said, “The month is also of twenty-nine days!'”That month consisted of twenty-nine days.
‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said, “When the Divine revelation of Choice was revealed, the Prophet ﷺ started with me.” She (may Allah be pleased with her) was referring to the ayaat that read (what means): {O Prophet, say to your wives, "If you should desire the worldly life and its adornment, then come, I will provide for you and give you a gracious release. * But if you should desire Allah and His Messenger and the home of the Hereafter - then indeed, Allah has prepared for the doers of good among you a great reward."} [Quran 33: 28-29].
Based on these ayaat, the Prophet ﷺ gave his wives the choice for him to divorce them and give them the due provision, or retain his marriage to them and they should endure the straitened circumstances.
He ﷺ said to me, “I am telling you something, but you need not hurry to give the reply till you consult your parents." ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) knew that her parents would not advise her to part with the Prophet ﷺ. Heﷺrecited the two ayaat to her, and ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said, “Am I to consult my parents about this? I, indeed, prefer Allah, Exalted is He, His Messenger ﷺ, and the Hereafter.“ After that the Prophet ﷺgave the choice to his other wives and they also gave the same reply as ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) did.
The hadeeth highlights the merits of ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him).
It also underlines the asceticism of the Prophet ﷺ, and the virtue of denouncing worldly pleasures and being content with a humbled life, being a distinct quality of the Prophets.
It also emphasizes that worldly pleasures are fleeting, unlike the eternal bliss of the Hereafter.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that a woman is liable to punishment for disclosing her husband’s secrets.
It is also inferred therefrom that even a rational and wise woman may consult her parents or seek the opinion of whom she trusts about her own affairs. It is also deduced that the Prophet ﷺ used to smile back at those who tried to make him laugh out of courtesy.
The hadeeth also highlights keenness in seeking knowledge, taking turns in checking the latest updates on the divine revelation and being concerned with such pursuits.
It also underlines the merits of the Mother of the Believers, ‘Aai’shah (may Allah be pleased with her). .

2473

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
The Prophet ﷺ judged that seven cubits should be left as a public way when there was a dispute about the land.
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Commentary :
During the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺ, people used to refer their differences to the Prophet ﷺ, and he used to make things clear to them and settle their disputes. His statements on those occasions have become legislation for all Muslims.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ issued a decree regarding disputes among neighbors over boundaries, spaciousness, and width of roads between their houses. He ﷺ judged that seven cubits should be left as a public way when there isa dispute among people, neighbors, or landlords regarding the width of the road, when landowners want to build thereon. Seven cubits, or seven arms (i.e., an arm is 69 cm approximately) should be left as a public way. This applies to newly constructed roads in the event of disputes among the landlords. A landlord should leave seven arms as a public way, for the public benefit of Muslims, and place his fence around the rest of his property, or build on it as he wishes. As for the old ways, they should be retained as agreed upon by the concerned owners, provided that due regard should be paid to the rights of the road and those of the neighbors.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that the Laws of Islam keenly regulates the urban planning of towns and cities, the construction of roads, and public utilities..

2474

‘Abdullah ibn Yazeed Al-Khatimee Al-Ansaaree (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet ﷺ forbade robbery (i.e., taking away what belongs to others without their permission), and also forbade mutilation (or maiming) of bodies.
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Commentary :
Islam lays a special emphasis on the gravity of violating the inviolability of people's lives, wealth, and honor, and sternly warns against having the audacity to do so.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah ibn Yazeed Al-Ansaaree (may Allah be pleased with him) related that the Prophet ﷺ forbade robbery, which refers to usurping a Muslim’s wealth forcibly, openly, and unjustly. This includes any transgression against people’s wealth, by means of coercion, theft, or betrayal, and it is a sin, because it involves unlawfully consuming people's wealth.
It was also said that the Arabic word used in the hadeeth - Al-Nuhbaa - means what is taken from wealth before dividing it up and estimating its amount, such as stealing from the spoils of war before division. He ﷺ also forbade the mutilation (or maiming) of bodies, which refers to the punishment that involved mutilation by cutting off bodily organs, such as the nose and ears, or poking out the eyes, and the like, because they involve excessive violence, cruelty, and disregard for human dignity, unless it is authorized by the Laws of Islam by virtue of Qisaas (i.e., retribution); it is not forbidden, because Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {And if you punish [an enemy, O believers], punish with an equivalent of that with which you were harmed. But if you are patient - it is better for those who are patient.} [Quran 16:126].
The hadeeth highlights one of the etiquettes of Islam and underlines its respect and high regard for individual property..

2475

It was narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺsaid, "A perpetrator of Fornication (i.e., illegal sexual intercourse) is not a true believer when he commits it; no one who dinks Khamr (intoxicants) is a true believer when he drinks it, and when no thief is a true believer when he steals; and a robber is not a true believer at the time of robbery when people look at him.”
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Commentary :
A Muslim may commit a major sin and repent from it. Allah, Exalted is He, forgives all sins, including major ones, Shirk (i.e., polytheism) aside. When a Muslim commits a sin, no matter how grave it is, Allah, Exalted is He, forgives him and confers upon him His pardon whenever he repents.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ makes it clear that a believer may fall into grave sins, but he cannot be described as a believer when he commits such a major sin. Rather, he is deprived of his faith while committing such major sins. For instance, a perpetrator of Fornication is not a true believer when he is committing Fornication, and it could also mean that the light of faith is removed from his heart at such time. Faith denotes the beliefs harbored in the heart, declarations made by the tongue, and actions, translating such faith (i.e., acting upon it). If a believer commits Fornication, drinks Khamr, or steals, the light of faith is taken away from his heart and he is left with the darkness of sin. It could also mean that the faith of a perpetrator of major sins is imperfect rather than negating his faith altogether. Thus, the hadeeth would mean that a perpetrator of Fornication does not commit such sin while having perfect and true faith. It is also possible that it means that whoever commits such major sins while believing them to be lawful is not a believer, for declaring lawful what is unlawful warrants Kufr (disbelief). The Prophet’s statement could also be a warning against the loss of faith if one becomes accustomed to committing these major sins and persistently adhering to them. Theft (that warrants the prescribed Hadd) means unlawfully taking the property of another person that is recognized by the Laws of Islam as wealth, stealthily from where similar things are normally kept and there is no suspicion involved (i.e., uncertainty warranting the dismissal of the prescribed punishment).
Similarly, a robber is not a true believer when he robs. Robbery means taking someone’s property openly and forcibly. His saying, “the people look at him,”refers to the situation of the people being robbed as they look at the robber while being unable to keep him off, even if they beg him. It could also refer to the fact that a robber takes people’s property openly, contrary to theft and embezzlement that are done stealthily. Robbery is a more serious crime because it involves audacity and indifference to (the inviolability of) people. It was also said that the Arabic word Nuhbah refers to what is taken from property before dividing it up and estimating its amount, such as stealing from the spoils of war before division. Accordingly, the meaning of his saying “the people look at him,” would be that such a sin is so grave and serious that it catches the attention of people just like robbery committed by the dissolute at times of Fitnah (i.e., civil war and dissension).
It is deduced from the hadeeth that faith increases with obedience and decreases with disobedience.
It also emphasizes the gravity of Fornication, theft, consumption of Khamr, and usurping people’s wealth wrongfully..

2478

‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ood (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet ﷺentered (i.e., conquered) Makkah and (at that time) there were three hundred-and-sixty idols around the Ka‘bah. He ﷺ started stabbing the idols with a stick he had in his hand and reciting the ayah that reads (what means): {And say, "Truth has come, and falsehood has departed. Indeed is falsehood, [by nature], ever bound to depart."} [Quran 17:81]
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Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {That is because Allah is the Truth, and that which they call upon other than Him is falsehood, and because Allah is the Most High, the Grand.} [Quran 22:62].Islam and Tawheed (i.e., Unique Oneness of Allah) are the clear truth, and Shirk (i.e., polytheism) and idolatry are sheer falsehood. The Prophet ﷺ strove to promote Islam and establish Tawheed on one hand, and demolish Shirk and idolatry on the other hand, and thus Allah, Exalted is He, perfected His light of guidance imparted to the worlds through him.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ood (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that when Allah, Exalted is He, blessed His Messenger with triumph over the disbelievers at the conquest of Makkah during the month of Ramadan in 8 A.H., he ﷺ entered it to find three hundred and sixty idols around the Ka‘bah, which people had made out of stone and taken as objects of worship. The Prophet ﷺ stabbed these idols with a stick, to demolish them, indicating the humiliation of such idols and their worshippers, and to show people that these idols did not harm or benefit, and could not even protect or defend themselves! While demolishing the idols, the Prophet ﷺ recited the ayah that reads(what means): {And say, "Truth has come, and falsehood has departed. Indeed, is falsehood, [by nature], ever bound to depart."} [Quran 17:81]. The ayah means, ‘O Messenger of Allah, say, ‘Truth has come, and falsehood has departed. Indeed, falsehood is innately ever bound to depart,’ to express gratitude to your Lord, acknowledging His grace, and celebrate His victory. It means, ‘Truth, with which Allah, Exalted is He, sent me has triumphed over all the opposing (false) beliefs: Shirk, Kufr (i.e., disbelief), and falsehood.’ They faded away and their power vanished, for falsehood is inherently unstable and precarious at all times.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that it is permissible to recite this ayah when eliminating an evil..

2480

‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn Al-‘Aas (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated:
I heard the Prophet ﷺ saying, "Whoever is killed while protecting his property is a martyr."
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Commentary :
The Islamic Laws of Islam aims at the preservation of the five necessities, which are: religion, life, intellect, lineage, and property.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ stated that a person has the right to defend his wealth against a usurper or aggressor, and if he is killed while protecting his wealth, he earns the reward of martyrdom in the Hereafter, because Allah, Exalted is He, has legislated the preservation and protection of wealth. If someone fights off his attacker to defend his wealth, he would be fighting in the cause of Allah, and if he is killed in the process, he would be regarded as a martyr in the Hereafter. Such martyrs earn the reward of martyrdom in the Hereafter, but they are not treated as the martyrs who are killed on the battlefield, in the sense that their dead bodies are washed and shrouded and the funeral prayers are performed over them.
The hadeeth urges Muslims to defend their wealth and fend off the attacker rather than surrender to his aggression and allow him to take one’s wealth by force.
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2484

Salamah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Once (on a journey) our provisions diminished and the people were reduced to poverty. They went to the Prophet ﷺ and asked his permission to slaughter their camels, and he agreed. ‘Umar met them and they told him about it, and he said, "How would you survive after slaughtering your camels?" Then he went to the Prophet ﷺ and said, "O Allah's Messenger ﷺ!How would they survive after slaughtering their camels?" Allah's Messengerﷺ ordered ‘Umar, "Call upon the people to bring what has remained of their food." A leather sheet was spread and all the food was collected and heaped over it. Allah's Messenger ﷺstood up and invoked Allah, Exalted is He, to bless it, and then directed all the people to come with their utensils, and they started taking from it till all of them got what was sufficient for them. Allah's Messengerﷺ then said, "I testify that none is worthy of worship but Allah, Exalted is He, and I am His Messenger ﷺ."
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Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, supported His Prophet Muhammad ﷺ with extraordinary miracles that indicated his prophethood, and one such miracle was the miracle of abundance, blessing small quantities of food to turn into large quantities.
In this hadeeth, Salamah ibn Al-Akwa‘ (may Allah be pleased with him) said that they were once on a journey or at one of the battles, probably Tabook; it was narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), as recorded in Saheeh Muslim, “On the day of the battle of Tabook, the Muslims were hard pressed by hunger and they asked Messenger of Allah ﷺ: ‘O Messenger of Allah, grant us permission to slaughter our camels to eat and use their fat.’”
Salamah (may Allah be pleased with him) added: “… our provisions diminished and the people were reduced to poverty,” meaning that their food supplies were exhausted and they almost ran out of food. They went to the Prophet ﷺ, seeking permission to slaughter the camels that they were riding to eat their meat, and he ﷺ gave them permission. Upon knowing of it, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “How would you survive if you slaughtered your camels?” Meaning that they would not be able to survive without their riding mounts. He (may Allah be pleased with him) went to the Prophet ﷺ and said: "O Messenger of Allah, if it is done, we shall suffer from lack of transportation. I suggest you pool together whatever has been left of the food and supplicate Allah, Exalted is He, to bless it.” He ﷺ agreed, called for leather mat and had it spread out.He ﷺcommanded ‘Umar to call upon the people to bring the leftovers of their provisions. Some provisions were collected on the mat and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ invoked blessings on the small quantity of food, and then called upon people to bring their vessels. They came and started taking handfuls of the blessed food, and everyone filled his vessel with food, with the blessing of the Prophet ﷺ! Thereafter, he ﷺ said: “I bear witness that none is worthy of worship except Allah, Exalted is He, and that I am His Messenger ﷺ,” indicating that this miracle performed by him proved that he was a Messenger of Allah, Exalted is He.
The hadeeth highlights a miracle performed by the Prophet ﷺ and the clear effects of his blessings, as abundantas they are.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that people may offer their advice and give their opinions to the ruler regarding what serves the best interests of Muslims, even if they were not consulted.
It is also inferred therefrom that Muslims are urged to foster solidarity regarding food and share the small quantities of food together..

2485

Raafi‘ ibn Khadeej (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
We used to offer the ‘Asr prayer with the Prophet ﷺ and slaughter a camel, the meat of which would be divided in ten parts. We would eat the cooked meat before sunset.
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Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, set specific times for the daily prayers that must be observed. Performing the prayers at the beginning of their specified times is one of the best good deeds.
In this hadeeth, Raafi‘ ibn Khadeej (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that they would perform ‘Asr prayer with the Prophet ﷺ, and then go to slaughter a camel. The slaughtered camels were divided into ten parts, and afterward they cooked some of the meat until it was ready before sunset. This indicates that they used to perform ‘Asr prayer at the beginning of its prescribed time. It was also said that this may have been the case during summer, when the days are long..

2486

Aboo Moosaa (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
The Prophet ﷺ said, “When the people of the Ash‘aree tribe ran short of food during the battles, or the food of their families in Al-Madeenah ran short, they would graciously collect all their remaining food in one sheet and then distribute it among themselves equally by measuring it with a bowl. So, these people are from me, and I am from them.”
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Commentary :
Sympathy and solidarity among people at times of hardship are among the moral values embodied by the Prophets of Allah, and the people of the Ash’aree tribe, from Yemen, to whom belonged Aboo Moosaa Al-Ash‘aree (may Allah be pleased with him), were the epitome of such moral values. The Prophet ﷺ praised them for that quality. He ﷺ said: “When the people of the Ash‘aree tribe ran short,” meaning when their food supplies were exhausted and they almost ran out of food, during the battles, or the food of their families in Al-Madeenah ran short, they would graciously collect all their remaining food in one sheet, “and then distribute it among themselves equally by measuring it with a bowl.” This means than each person received an equal share of the remaining food, and this reflected their exemplary altruism and solidarity, because some of them had no food left to begin with and others had small quantities, yet all took equal shares. Afterward, the Prophet ﷺ said: “So, these people are from me, and I am from them,” meaning that their moral character mirrors mine as reflected in their solidarity, as if he ﷺ was saying that this act conformed with his Sunnah and guidance and they followed his example. This highlights their noble moral character, and urges Muslims to follow their example and do the same.
The hadeeth underlines the great merits of the people of the Ash‘aree tribe, lauding their altruism and solidarity, and the greatest honor that could have been bestowed upon them was the fact that the Prophet attributed them to himself, “these people are from me, and I am from them.”
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2491

Naafi‘ narrated:
Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "Allah's Messengerﷺsaid, 'If one manumits his share of a jointly possessed slave, and can afford the price of the other shares according to the adequate price of the slave, the slave will be completely manumitted, otherwise he will be partially manumitted.'” (Ayyoob, a sub-narrator is not sure whether the saying, “otherwise he will be partially manumitted” was said by Naafi‘ or the Prophet ﷺ.)
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Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, created all people free, and hated that some should be enslaved to others. Islam was revealed while the system of slavery was in place (and deeply entrenched into people’s financial and social systems), so the Islamic Laws of Islam keenly assigned special care to the emancipation of slaves, and facilitated its means (to free people from their condition of slavery).
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ stated that whoever wanted to manumit his share of a jointly possessed slave, be it a male or female slave, he should completely manumit him or her if can afford the price of the other shares according to the adequate price of the slave. This means that if the price of the slave is twenty Dirhams, for instance, and he is jointly owned by two masters and one of them manumits his share, he should graciously pay his co-owner the other ten Dirhams, if he can afford it, tomanumit the slave completely to become a free person. Being able to afford it here means having excess wealth beyond his needs and those of his dependents, including their basic needs such as accommodation, clothes, and the like. If he cannot afford it, then the slave will be partially manumitted.
In the same vein, it was narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever manumits his share of a jointly possessed slave, it is imperative for him to get that slave manumitted completely by paying the remaining price, and if he cannot afford it, then the price of the slave should be estimated justly, and he is to be allowed to work and earn the amount that will manumit him (without overburdening him).” [Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim]. This means that the partially manumitted slave may work and earn money to pay the rest of the price to free himself completely, provided that he must not be overburdened by work if he is unable to do so.

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2492

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
The Prophet ﷺ said, "Whoever manumits his share of a jointly possessed slave, it is imperative for him to get that slave manumitted completely by paying the remaining price, and if he does not have sufficient money to manumit him, then the price of the slave should be estimated justly, and he is to be allowed to work and earn the amount that will manumit him (without overburdening him)".
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Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, created all people free, and hated that some should be enslaved to others. Islam was revealed while the system of slavery was in place (and deeply entrenched into people’s financial and social systems), so the Islamic Laws of Islam keenly assigned special care on the emancipation of slaves, and facilitated its means (to free people from their condition of slavery).
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ stated that whoever wanted to manumit his share of a jointly possessed slave, he should completely manumit him or her if he can afford the price of the other shares,based on the adequate price of the slave. Such a master is required to pay his co-owner the monetary value of his share, if he can afford it, tomanumit the slave completely to become a free person. Being able to afford it here means having excess wealth beyond his needs and those of his dependents, including their basic needs such as accommodation, clothes, and the like. If he cannot afford it, then the slave will be partially manumitted.
However, if he cannot afford it, then the price of the slave should be estimated justly, and he (the partially manumitted) is to be allowed to work and earn the amount that will manumit him (without overburdening him). This means that the partially manumitted slave may work and earn money to pay the rest of the price to free himself completely, provided that he must not be overburdened by work if he is unable to do so.

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2493

An-Nu‘maan ibn Basheer (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
The Prophet ﷺ said, "The example of the person abiding by Allah's order and restrictions in comparison to those who violate them is like the example of those people who drew lots for their seats in a boat. Some of them got seats in the upper part, and the others in the lower. When the latter needed water, they had to go up to bring water (and that troubled the others), so they said, 'Let us make a hole in our share of the ship (and get water) saving those who are above us from troubling them. So, if the people in the upper part left the others do what they had suggested, all the people of the ship would be destroyed, but if they prevented them, both parties would be safe."
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Commentary :
Enjoining good and forbidding evil is one of the best acts of worship that puts in order the affairs of the Muslims, and rectifies the situation of their nation, and without it, the whole Muslim community would collapse and perish.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ gives an example of the importance of observing the obligation of enjoining good and forbidding evil. He ﷺ stated that the example of those who comply with the commands of Allah, Exalted is He, by enjoining good and forbidding evil, and those who violate them, i.e., by neglecting that obligation, is like the example of passengers who drew lots for their seats in a boat. Some of them got seats in the upper part, and the others in the lower. When the latter needed water, they had to go up to bring water (and that troubled the others), so they said, 'Let us make a hole in our share of the ship (and get water), saving those who are above us from trouble. A version of the hadeeth recorded in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree reads: “One of them (i.e., the people in the lower part) took an ax and started making a hole in the bottom of the boat.” If the people in the upper part let the others do what they had suggested, the ship would sink and they all would be destroyed, but if they prevented them, both parties would be safe.
Similarly, if those who uphold the obligation of enjoining good and forbidding evil give it up, the whole nation would be destroyed, but if they keenly enjoin good and forbid evil, they would all be delivered, and the situation of all the people would be rectified.
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2494

‘Urwah ibn Al-Zubayr narrated that he had asked ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) about the meaning of the ayah that reads (what means): {And if you fear that you will not deal justly with the orphan girls, then marry those that please you of [other] women, two or three or four.} [Quran 4: 3] She (may Allah be pleased with her) said: “O my nephew! This is about an orphan girl who lives with her guardian and shares his property. Her wealth and beauty may tempt him to marry her without giving her an adequate Mahr (i.e., dower) which might have been given by another suitor. So, such guardians were forbidden to marry such orphan girls unless they treated them justly and gave them the most suitable Mahr, otherwise they were ordered to marry any other women.” ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) further said, "After that ayah was revealed, people again asked the Prophet ﷺ (about the marriage with orphan girls), so Allah, Exalted is He, revealed the following ayah. Allah, Exalted is He Says (what means): {And they request from you, [O Muhammad], a [legal] ruling concerning women. Say, " Allah gives you a ruling about them and [about] what has been recited to you in the Book concerning the orphan girls to whom you do not give what is decreed for them - and [yet] you desire to marry them.} [Quran 4:127] What is meant by Allah's Saying in this ayah {what has been recited to you in the Book}, is the other ayah that reads (what means): {And if you fear that you will not deal justly with the orphan girls, then marry those that please you of [other] women, two or three or four.} [Quran 4: 3] She (may Allah be pleased with her) added: “His Saying {and [yet] you desire to marry them} [Quran 4:127] in the other ayah, means the desire of the guardian to marry an orphan girl under his guardianship when she has not much property or beauty (in which case he should treat her justly). The guardians were forbidden to marry their orphan girls possessing property and beauty without being just to them, as they generally refrain from marrying them (when they are neither beautiful nor wealthy).
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Commentary :
The wise Laws of Islam enjoins care for the orphans and preservation of their wealth, and regulates the affairs of guardianship over orphans’ wealth to best serve their interests.
In this hadeeth, the Taabi’ee (a Muslim who saw at least one of the Companions)‘Urwah ibn Al-Zubayr asked his maternal aunt ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), the Mother of the Believers, about the meaning of the ayah that reads (what means): {And if you fear that you will not deal justly with the orphan girls, then marry those that please you of [other] women, two or three or four.} [Quran 4: 3]. She (may Allah be pleased with her) said: “O my nephew,” since his mother was Asmaa’ bint Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with them). “This is about an orphan girl who lives with her guardian,” meaning under his care. An orphan is a minor whose father passes away before he or she reaches puberty.
She added: “and shares his property,” meaning invests her wealth in trade, “Her wealth and beauty may tempt him to marry her without giving her an adequate Mahr (i.e., dower) which might have been given by another suitor. So, such guardians were forbidden to marry such orphan girls unless they treated them justly and gave them the most suitable Mahr,” meaning the highest that may be paid to women of their same social standing.
Otherwise, they were ordered to take one, two, three, or four wives from any other women.
Thereafter, ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) further stated that after that ayah was revealed, people again asked the Prophet ﷺ (about marriage with orphan girls). Therefore, Allah, Exalted is He, revealed the following ayah. He Says (what means): {And they request from you, [O Muhammad], a [legal] ruling concerning women. Say, " Allah gives you a ruling about them and [about] what has been recited to you in the Book concerning the orphan girls to whom you do not give what is decreed for them - and [yet] you desire to marry them.} [Quran 4:127]. She (may Allah be pleased with her) underlined that what was meant by Allah's Saying in this ayah {what has been recited to you in the Book}, was the other ayah that reads (what means): {And if you fear that you will not deal justly with the orphan girls, then marry those that please you of [other] women, two or three or four.} [Quran 4: 3]. His Saying {and [yet] you desire to marry them,} [Quran 4:127] in the other ayah, means the desire of the guardian to marry an orphan girl under his guardianship and care when she has not much property or beauty (in which case he should treat her justly). This means that a guardian may marry off the orphan girl under his care, and he may want to marry her himself. Allah, Exalted is He, commanded him to pay her the due Mahr that is paid to other women or else marry another. Allah, Exalted is He, laid no restrictions on him to marry other women; He Says (what means): {And if you fear that you will not deal justly with the orphan girls, then marry those that please you of [other] women, two or three or four.} [Quran 4: 3]. Moreover, some guardians were not inclined to marry the orphan girls under their care because they possessed no beauty or adequate property in their views. Allah, Exalted is He, forbade them from refraining from marrying off such orphan girls to suitable suitors fearing that they would have a share in the joint property owned by the guardian and orphan girl.
In the pre-Islamic era, a guardian used to throw his robe over orphan girls under his care and this meant that no one would be ever allowed to marry such an orphan girl. If she was beautiful, he would marry her and devour her wealth, and if she was not beautiful, he would deny her marriage until she died and he would inherit her! This unjust practice was deemed prohibited in Islam. It goes without saying that marriage - especially to an orphan girl - must be based on justice and what is permissible as per the laws of Islam.
The hadeeth warns against the oppression and injustice committed against orphans, and urges guardians to fulfill their rights.
It is also inferred therefrom that the guardians are entrusted with those placed under their care and guardianship, and that wronging them constitutes a breach of trust..

196

Anas ibn Malek narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "I will be the first intercessor in Paradise. Not a prophet among prophets has followers like me. There is a prophet who was believed by only one man from his nation.".

Commentary : The Prophet's merits are abundant and supreme. He was sent to all people including Jews and Christians so all must believe and follow him. This hadith mentions some of his merits such as he will be the first to enter Paradise after Allah accepts his intercession to open it, as in Imam Muslim's narration. Later his intercession will be accepted for two types of people: (1) The disobedient to be admitted to Paradise, and (2) Those who entered Paradise but got lower ranks. Imam Ahmad narrated that the Prophet said, “I will be the first to enter Paradise on the Day of Resurrection and I am not boasting. When I come to the gate of Paradise and take its ring, they will ask, 'Who is this?' I will answer, 'Muhammad.' They will open it for me. I will enter and see the Mighty facing me. I will prostrate to Him and He will say, 'O Muhammad, raise your head, speak so you will be responded, say so your requests will be accepted, and intercede so your intercession will be granted.' I will raise my head and say, 'O God, my nation, my nation.' He will say, 'Go to your nation. Whoever you find in his heart a weight of barley grain of faith, admit him to Paradise.' So I will accept. Whoever I find that in his heart, I will admit him to Paradise.” In addition, he will have the most followers on that day in comparison with other prophets. It indicates that having more followers means having a supreme followed one. Allah dignifies this nation for dignifying his Prophet. No nation will be like his nation on the Day of Resurrection, for it will form half of Paradise's people as in the two Sahihs' narration or even two-thirds as Imam Ahmad, Tirmedhy, and Ibn Maja reported. Moreover, he confirmed that there was a prophet who was only believed by one man from his nation. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It clarifies the Divine dignity of the Prophet, and (2) It proves the Prophet's intercession on the Day of Judgement..

196

Anas ibn Malek narrated, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “I will be the first to intercede in (allowing people to enter) Paradise and have the most followers in comparison with other prophets.”.

Commentary : The Prophet's merits are great and supreme. He was sent to all people including Jews and Christians so all people must believe and follow him. In this hadith, he mentioned some of his virtues such as he will be the first one to enter Paradise and intercede for people to be admitted to Paradise as in Muslim's narration. Afterward, he will be granted the right to intercede for those who committed sins to enter Paradise or those who entered lower ranks to raise their ranks. In Ahmad's narration, he said, “I will be the first to enter Paradise on the Day of Resurrection and it is no boast. When I come to the gate of Paradise and take its ring, they will ask, 'Who is this?' I will answer, 'Muhammad.' They will open it for me. I will enter and see the Mighty facing me. I will prostrate to Him and He will say, 'O Muhammad, raise your head, speak so you will be responded, say so your requests will be accepted, and intercede so your intercession will be granted.' I will raise my head and say, 'O God, my nation, my nation.' He will say, 'Go to your nation. Whoever you find in his heart a weight of barley grain of faith, admit him to Paradise.' So I will accept. Whoever I find that in his heart, I will admit him to Paradise.” In addition, he will have the most followers on that day in comparison with other prophets. It means that having more followers means having a supreme followed one. Allah dignifies this nation for dignifying his Prophet. No nation will be like his nation on the Day of Resurrection, for it will form half of Paradise's people as in the two Sahihs. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It clarifies the divine dignity of the Prophet Muhammad, (2) It proves his right of intercession, and (3) It confirms the virtue of having many followers to the straight path, for the one being followed is given his followers' rewards..

197

Anas ibn Malek narrated, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘I will come to the gate of Paradise on the Day of Resurrection and ask to open it. The keeper will ask, ‘Who are you?’ I will say, ‘Muhammad.’ He will say, ‘It is just you for whom I have been ordered to open before anyone else.’”.

Commentary : The Prophet (ﷺ) has great virtues. He is the master of Prophet Adam’s sons. Allah has sent him to all people, including Jews and Christians. It is obligatory for anyone to believe his prophethood and message. In this hadith, he mentioned that he would knock at Paradise’s gate on the day of Judgement and ask to get in. The keeper asked him about his identity. The Prophet (ﷺ) answered, “Muhammad.” He answers with his proper name that people and angels know. The keeper would say when hearing the Prophet’s name (ﷺ), “It is just you for whom I have been ordered to open before anyone else.” Thus, the Prophet informed us that he would be the first one to enter Paradise. This is a divine honor to our Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) by giving him the priority of entering Paradise and even its highest levels..

202

Abdullah ibn Amr ibn Al-'As ﷺ narrated that the Prophet ﷺ recited Prophet Ibrahim's saying in the Quran, "O my Lord! They have indeed led astray many among mankind. But whoso follows me, he, verily, is of me." (Ibrahim: 36) and Prophet Jesus' saying in the Quran, "If You punish them, they are Your slaves, and if You forgive them, verily You, only You, are the All‑Mighty, the All‑Wise." (Al-Ma'idah: 118) then raised his hands, wept, and said, "O Allah, my nation, my nation!" Allah, the Almighty, said, "O Gabriel, go to Muhammad (and Allah knows best) and ask him, 'What makes you weep?'" Gabriel came and asked him, so the Messenger of Allah ﷺ informed him about what he asked Allah (and Allah knows best). Thus, Allah said, "O Gabriel, go to Muhammad and say to him, 'Verily, We will please you with regard to your nation and not displease you.'".

Commentary : The Prophet (ﷺ) was compassionate and merciful, so he used to frequently and deeply supplicate Allah not to perish his nation as the previous nations, as in this report. In this hadith, he recited Prophet Ibrahim's supplication to his nation in the Quran, "O my Lord! They have indeed led astray many among mankind. But whoso follows me, he, verily, is of me." (Ibrahim: 36) Prophet Ibrahim means that whoever follows me and abandons worshipping idols, he is one of my followers who deserves forgiveness and mercy. Whoever disobeys and continues worshipping idols, it is up to Allah. If He Wills, He guides him and if He Wills, He goes him astray. Allah does not forgive those dying while being polytheists as He said, "Verily, Allah does not forgive that partners should be set up with Him (in worship), but He forgives, except that, anything else to whom He wills; and whoever sets up partners with Allah (in worship), he has indeed invented a tremendous sin." (An-Nisa’: 48) Then, he recited Prophet Jesus' saying in the Quran, "If You punish them, they are Your slaves, and if You forgive them, verily You, only You, are the All‑Mighty, the All‑Wise." (Al-Ma'idah: 118) Afterward, the Prophet (ﷺ) wept and supplicated Him, "O Allah, my nation, my nation!" Due to his deep love for his nation, he asked Allah's mercy, kindness, and goodness to them. Although Allah knows all that the breasts conceal, he sent Gabriel to ask the Prophet (ﷺ) about the reason for his weeping. It was said that this was to show the Prophet's prestige and honor. Gabriel asked the Prophet (ﷺ) who informed him about what he asked Allah. Thus, Allah asked Gabriel to inform the Prophet (ﷺ) that He would please and grant him what he asked and not displease him with regard to his nation, as Allah said, "And verily, your Lord will give you (all good) so that you shall be well‑pleased." (Ad-Duha: 5) This is one of the best glad tidings to Muslim nation. On the other hand, this hadith explains the Quranic verse, "Verily, there has come to you a Messenger from amongst yourselves. It grieves him that you should receive any injury or difficulty. He is anxious over you; for the believers full of pity, kind, and merciful." (At-Tawbah: 128). Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It clarifies the Prophet's kindness and supplication to his nation, (2) It shows the Prophet’s supreme prestige with Allah Who promised to please him with regard to his nation, and (4) It includes a great glad tiding to the Muslim nation..

203

Anas narrated that a man asked, “O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, where is my father?” The Prophet ﷺ answered, “In Hell.” When the man turned away, the Prophet ﷺ called him and said, “Verily, my father and your father are in Hell.”.

Commentary : It is established in Islam that if a person dies while being a disbeliever, he will enter Hell. Some people frequently asked the Prophet useless questions until he fed up. As a result, he used to rebuke them and others to help them stop this kind of question. In this hadith, Anas ibn Malik narrated that a man asked, "O Messenger of Allah, where is my father?” He asked whether his father was in Paradise or Hell. The Prophet replied, "In Hell.” This is because the man’s father died while being a disbeliever. When the man turned away, the Prophet called him and said, "Verily, my father and your father are in Hell.” It is due to the Prophet's good behavior and treatment of his companions. When he noticed the man’s sadness, he wanted to console him to find contentment, for if there had been a son who wanted to benefit his disbelieved father, the Prophet would have been the first one to do so. It was the revelation that informed the Prophet of his own father's destiny. This is because whoever died before the Prophet's message of Islam and followed the Arabs’ practice of worshiping idols was one of the people of Hell. As a matter of fact, the people of that period received the call of Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and other prophets. In addition, some of them followed his message and lived with Jews and Christians, so they knew about prophets and the necessity of faith, but the majority intentionally disobeyed and associated others in worshipping Allah. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) If a person dies while being a disbeliever, he will enter Hell, and his close relatives will not benefit him, and (2) It clarifies the Prophet’s good treatment and honorable character..

211

Abu Saeed Al-Khudry narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Verily, the least tormented one of the people of Hell is who will wear two shoes of fire so his brain will boil due to the heat of his shoes.”.

Commentary : The severe punishment of Allah is inconceivable. The torment of the sinners mentioned in the Quran and Prophetic tradition just illustrates a picture of this severity and requires every human being to fear it on the Day of Resurrection. In this hadith, the Prophet (ﷺ) confirmed that the least tormented one in Hell is the one who would wear two shoes of fire. Allah said, "... will have cut out for them garments of fire." (Al-Hajj: 19) Although he is the least tormented one in Hell, his brain will boil due to just the heat of his shoes. Some said that all of his body is tormented while others said it is just his feet, out of kindness. It was said that it is the Prophet's uncle Abu Taleb, for the Prophet's saying, when his uncle was mentioned, as in the two Sahihs, “My intercession may benefit him on the Day of Resurrection so that he may be placed in a shallow part of fire reaching only up to his ankles and causing his brain to boil.” The hadith included him and other ones who would be punished likewise. The hadith refers that the people of Hell are those abiding in it forever such as the disbelievers. This does not include the believers who committed major sins, as in the hadith reported in Bukhari and Muslim that Allah will say to the least tormented one in Hell, “I asked you a much easier thing than this, that is, not to worship others besides Me, but you refused and insisted to worship others besides Me.” Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It shows the severity of Hell's torment to the extent that the least torment one will wear two shows causing his brain to boil and (2) It warns us against Hell and urges us to do what keeps us away from it..

214

Aisha narrated, "I said, 'O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, Ibn Jud'an used to establish ties of relationship and fed the poor. Will it benefit him?'" He answered, "It will not benefit him, for he did not ever say, 'O my God, forgive my sins on the Day of Recompense.’”.

Commentary : Believing in Allah is a prerequisite to getting His pleasing, entering Paradise, and being saved from Hell. Therefore, Allah, the Almighty, has sent people His messengers to call them to believe in Him and abandon all forms of disbelief and polytheism. In this hadith, Aisha narrated that she asked the Prophet (ﷺ) about one of her relatives, Abdullah ibn Jud'an. He was a Qureish leader from the tribe of Banu Tamim ibn Murrah during the pre-Islamic ignorant times before the Prophet's mission. It was called so, for it was full of ignorant practices. At that time, Ibn Jud'an used to establish ties of relationship, feed the poor, and follow lots of manners that Islam would encourage later. She was wondering if these righteous acts would benefit him in the hereafter and save him from Allah's punishment of the polytheists due to his disbelief. The Prophet (ﷺ) told her that all of his works would not benefit him, for he never believed in neither Allah nor the Last Day. A disbeliever will not get a reward in the hereafter for his righteous acts, for he nullified them by his disbelief. This is an indication that if he had embraced Islam, these acts would have benefitted him. As for his acts’ reward in this worldly life, Imam Muslim reported that Anas ibn Malek narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Allah does not unjustly prevent a believer from even a good deed’s reward. He is rewarded in this world and in the Hereafter. As for the disbeliever, he is given a reward for the good deeds he did for the sake of Allah in the world and when he comes to Hereafter, there is no rewards for him.” Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It clarifies the virtue of faith, the prerequisite for accepting righteous deeds, (2) It shows the terrible results of disbelief which nullifies the reward of the righteous deeds..

223

Abu Malek Al-Hareth ibn ‘Asem Al-Ash'ary narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Purity is half of faith, al-hamdulillah fills the scale, and subhanallah and al-hamdulillah fill what is between the heavens and Earth. Prayer is a light, charity is proof, and patience is illumination. The Quran is proof for or against you. All people go out early in the morning and sell themselves, either setting themselves free or ruining themselves.".

Commentary : This is a great hadith and one of the Islamic foundations in which the Prophet (ﷺ) mentioned all that concerns a Muslim in his life and the afterlife. The Prophet (ﷺ) confirmed that purification is half of faith. It means one of the two following meanings: (1) All Islamic aspects aim to purify a Muslim inwardly from evil attributes and outwardly from impurities as in purification, or (2) The word faith means prayer as in Allah's saying, "And Allah would never make your faith be lost." (Al-Baqarah: 143) So, the hadith means that purification is half of prayer which is not accepted without it. Moreover, the Prophet (ﷺ) added that the saying of al-hamdulillah (all praise is due to Allah) will fill one's scale on the Day of Resurrection with reward when Allah weighs all people's deeds. It is a real scale to weigh their deeds, which does not resemble the worldly scales. It is one of the matters of the unseen world that we all must believe in. Al-hamdulillah means to acknowledge that Allah, alone, deserves all types of gratitude. The Prophet (ﷺ) added that subhanallah (glory be to Allah) meant to describe Allah with the complete perfection he deserves and negate all that contradict this perfection. These two sentences fill what is between heaven and Earth, for they contain praising Allah, negating all that contradicts His perfection, and showing the servant's need for his Creator. Moreover, the Prophet (ﷺ) added that prayer is a light. This means one of the following possibilities: (1) It is a light on a Muslim's face in this life and in his way in the afterlife, unlike those who do not pray, (2) It guides a servant to the straight path and makes him away from sins, immorality, and indecency, or (3) It means all the above-mentioned possibilities, for it is a light in his heart, face, grave, and hereafter. Moreover, the Prophet (ﷺ) added that charity is proof of a Muslim's truthful faith, unlike a hypocrite who does not give charity, for he does not believe. Then, the Prophet (ﷺ) added that patience is a shining light. It is a light with heat and burning power like the sun, unlike the moon. He mentioned this similarity, for patience was a difficult attribute that required struggling oneself in preventing prohibited desires and whims. The recommended patience is during three cases: (1) Patience in obeying Allah, (2) Patience in avoiding disobeying Him, and (3) Patience during calamities and hardships. Thus, patience will be a light for us throughout the straight way. Then, the Prophet (ﷺ) showed one's stand with the Quran in the hereafter. He confirmed that it would be proof for a person if he kept reciting and acting upon it in this life. On the other hand, it would be proof against him when he left reciting or acting upon it. The Prophet (ﷺ) mentioned that all people went out early in the morning and sold themselves, either setting themselves free from Hell by obeying Allah or ruining themselves in Hell by obeying their whims and the devil. Thus, hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It shows the virtue of purification and its reward, (2) It mentions some sayings and deeds of faith that set the believers free from Hell, (3) It clarifies that a person will be held accountable for his actions, so he is free to choose the way he wants to himself..

224

Mus'ab ibn Sa'd narrated, "Abdullah ibn Omar visited Ibn 'Amer when he was sick. Ibn 'Amer said to him, 'O Ibn Omar, will you not supplicate Allah to me?' Ibn Omar replied, 'I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, 'No prayer is accepted without ablution and no charity is accepted due to ghulul (taking spoils before authorized distribution). You were the governor of Al-Basrah.'".

Commentary : The Prophet's companions used to advise people on religious and worldly matters in accordance with people’s cases and abilities. The caliph Uthman ibn Affan appointed Abdullah ibn Amer ibn Kuraiz a ruler over Basra after Abu Musa Al-Ash’ary in 29 H. Later, Uthamn appointed him over Basra and Fares after Othman ibn Abi Al-'As. Later, the caliph Mu'aweya ibn Abi Sufyan appointed him a ruler over Basra and then dismissed him after three years. Afterward, Abdullah lived in Medina until he died in 57 or 58 H. In this hadith, Abdullah ibn Omar visited Ibn 'Amer when he was sick. Ibn 'Amer asked him to supplicate Allah to him, for the Prophet's companion Abdullah ibn Omar was one of the righteous persons at that time. So, Ibn 'Amer was keen to ask for his supplication during this hardship. Abu Nu'aim narrated in his Mustakhraj, "When Abdullah ibn Omar visited Ibn 'Amer during his illness, people were praising Ibn 'Amer but Ibn Omar kept silent. Ibn Amer said to him, ‘O Abu Abdderrhman, what does prevent you from saying (alike)?’ Ibn Omar wisely answered, ‘I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say, 'No prayer is accepted without ablution and no charity is accepted due to ghulul (taking spoils before authorized distribution).’” Ablution is a prerequisite to make prayer accepted and charity is not accepted if it is taken from spoils before authorized distribution. Generally, this hadith includes taking illegal money. Ibn Omar meant that Allah did not accept charity from illegal sources and Ibn 'Amer used to illegally take people's properties during his rule over some cities. Ibn Omar wanted to scold him for his old sins and urge him to repent to Allah although Ibn ‘Amer was dismissed in 29 H. and died in 57 or 58 H. Ibn Omar wanted to urge other rulers to perform righteous deeds and fear Allah. He also wanted to warn them against oppression and negligence. Ibn Omar scolded him although the Prophet (ﷺ), his companions, and the righteous ones after them used to supplicate Allah for people of sins. In the Two Sahihs, Abu Hurairah narrated, "Tufail ibn Amr Ad-Daousy and his companions came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, 'O Messenger of Allah, the tribe of Daous disobeyed and refused so supplicate Allah against them.' Someone said, 'Daous will be destroyed.' The Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'O Allah, guide the tribe of Daous and let them come.’” Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It urges Muslims to visit the patient, (2) It confirms the scholars' advice to rulers with wisdom and good words, (3) It contains the virtue of ablution, (4) It contains the virtue of giving charity from legal properties, (5) It shows the legitimacy of asking righteous people for supplication to Allah, (6) It clarifies Ibn Omar's deep keenness in enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong, without flattery, and (7) It indicates that having illegal properties prevents accepting one's supplication..

227

Humran, the servant of Uthman, narrated, "I heard Uthman - when he was in the courtyard of the mosque and asked for water to perform ablution after the caller to prayer came to him - said, 'By Allah, I am narrating to you a hadith. If there had not been a verse in the Book of Allah, I would have never narrated it to you. I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying, 'If a Muslim properly performs ablution and offers prayer, Allah will forgive him the sins committed to the next prayer.'" In another narration, "If a Muslim properly performs ablution and offers obligatory prayer ...".

Commentary : The Prophet's Companions used to teach and convey Prophetic clear guidance to people. In this hadith, Human, the servant of Caliph Uthman ibn Affan, narrated, “I heard Uthman - when he was in the courtyard of the mosque and asked for water to perform ablution after the caller to (afternoon) prayer came to him - said, 'By Allah, I am narrating to you a hadith. If there had not been a verse in the Book of Allah, I would have never narrated it to you.’” The verse he meant was Allah’s saying, "Verily, those who conceal the clear proofs and the guidance, which We have sent down, after We have made it clear for the people in the Book, they are the ones cursed by Allah and cursed by the cursers." (Al-Baqarah: 159) It means that Allah will expel them from His mercy and people ask Him to expel them from His mercy as well. It was only this verse that encouraged Uthman to narrate this Prophetic hadith although he preferred not to narrate it temporarily, for he was afraid that people may have been deceived by their little obedience to Allah. In the end, he decided to narrate it and confirmed that he heard the Prophet saying, “If a Muslim properly performs ablution and offers prayer, Allah will forgive him the sins committed to the next prayer." The prayer mentioned here is the obligatory one and the sins mentioned here are the minor, for repentance is a prerequisite to forgive the major sins. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) Caliph Uthman was keen to teach people goodness, (2) It warns against concealing Islamic knowledge, (3) It urges people to learn and properly abide by ablution's etiquette and conditions, (4) It stressed on the virtue of properly performing ablution, and (5) The legitimacy of swearing without being asked to swear..

228

Amr ibn Saeed ibn Al-'As said, "I was with Uthman who asked for ablution water and said, 'I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying, 'When the time for a prescribed prayer is due and a Muslim properly performs its ablution, submissiveness, and bowing, it will be an expiation for his past sins as long as he did not commit a major sin. This applies for all times.’”.

Commentary : The Prophet (ﷺ) used to encourage people to perform acts of worship by mentioning their reward, for it is Allah's grace that he makes performing these acts, with caring about their conditions, a reason for forgiveness. In this hadith, Amr ibn Saeed ibn Al-'As narrated that when he was with Caliph Uthman ibn Affan, Uthman asked for ablution water and told him that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "When the time for a prescribed prayer is due and a Muslim properly performs its ablution, submissiveness, and bowing, it will be an expiation for his past sins as long as he did not commit a major sin. This applies for all times." Submissiveness in prayer means that all Muslim's limbs are facing Allah and recalling His greatness. Also, the above-mentioned sins are the minor ones, for forgiving the major sins necessitate repentance. The major sins are those sins that are called in the Quran, the authentic Sunnah, or consensus major sins, necessitate severe punishment, or its doer was cursed or highly reprehensible. This favor from Allah is general and applied to all times, not confined to a specific time. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It clarifies the virtue of frequently persevering the acts of worship, which is a reason for forgiving minor sins, and (2) It confirms the virtue of ablution and submissiveness in prayer..

231

Humran ibn Aban narrated, “I used to fetch water of ablution for Uthman. There was not a day that he did not take a bath with a small quantity of water. Uthman said, ‘The Messenger of Allah ﷺ told us after completing this prayer, (one of the narrators called Mes'ar said, ‘I think it afternoon prayer.’) ‘I do not know whether I should tell you something or keep quiet.’ We said, ‘O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, if it is good, tell us about it, and if it is otherwise, Allah and His Prophet ﷺ know best.’ So, he said, ‘If a Muslim purifies in a complete way as enjoined upon him by Allah and offers these five prayers, they will expiate what (sins) committed between them.’”.

Commentary : Due to Allah’s grace, He makes performing acts of worship a reason for forgiveness. Thus, the Prophet ﷺ used to encourage people to perform them, by mentioning its reward. In this hadith, Humran ibn Aban, the servant of Othman ibn Affan, narrated that he used to fetch water of ablution for Othman. There was not a day that Othman did not take a bath with a small quantity of water. He was keen to purify himself, out of cleanliness and seeking great rewards mentioned in this hadith. Then, Othman narrated that one day the Prophet ﷺ finished the afternoon prayer and gave his companions the choice between speaking to them or keeping silent to draw their attention for knowledge. They replied, “If it is good, tell us about it, and if it is otherwise, Allah and His Prophet ﷺ know best.” Their response indicates their high good manners with the Prophet ﷺ. He told them that if a Muslim completely performs ablution and offers the five prayers at their appointed times - as in other narrations -, they will expiate what (sins) committed between them. In another narration in Sahih Muslim, he said, “Unless the major sins are committed.” Thus, the above-mentioned forgiveness is applied to the minor, not the major sins which Allah may forgive or punish its doer. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It shows the virtue of ablution, (2) It clarifies the virtue of regularly offering the acts of worship, which is a reason for forgiveness, and (3) It confirms the legitimacy of a ruler’s preaching to people, for Othman was then the caliph..

232

Uthman ibn Affan narrated, "I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying, 'Whoever properly performs ablution for prayer, walks to (attend) the obligatory prayer, and prays with the people, with the congregation, or in the mosque, Allah will forgive him his sins.'".

Commentary : Prayer is the pillar of Islam that has a great reward. As a result, mere walking to perform prayer in a mosque is a reason for forgiving one’s sins and raising his ranks in Paradise. Similarly, Allah makes ablution and prayer reasons for purifying people from the effects of their sins. Also, he promises that performing acts of worship based on their conditions is a reason for forgiveness. In this hadith, the Prophet (ﷺ) said that whoever properly and perfectly performs ablution then walks to perform an obligatory prayer with people, with the congregation, or in the mosque, Allah will forgive his sins. The repeated "or" may be due to a narrator's doubt so the hadith means that a Muslim performs an obligatory prayer with people in a mosque and if they finished it, he would perform it alone in the mosque. Also, it may mean that a Muslim performs an obligatory prayer with people whether in a mosque or somewhere else, so the hadith focusses on performing it with people. As a result, Allah will forgive all of his sins. On the other hand, it was proven in the Quranic and Prophetic texts that it is the minor, not the major sins that will be forgiven, for forgiving major sins necessitates repentance, decisive intention not to commit them again along with some other prerequisites. Finally, the hadith contains the following benefits: (1) Encouragement to properly and perfectly perform ablution, and (2) The virtue of congregational prayer and its great reward..

233

Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "The five (daily) prayers, the periods from one Friday prayer to the (next) Friday prayer, and from Ramadan to Ramadan expiate the (sins) committed in between provided that one shuns the major sins.".

Commentary : People are created weak, overcome by themselves and devils through committing sins. Allah grants them things that expiate their sins on condition that they avoid major sins, such as performing acts of worship with their prerequisites. In this hadith, the Prophet (ﷺ) confirmed that performing the five daily prayers, performing Friday's prayer to the next one, and fasting Ramadan month to the next one expiate the sins committed in between provided that one shuns the major sins. Repentance is a prerequisite to expiate them. The major sin is the sin that the Quran, the Sunnah, or the scholars' consensus: (1) Stipulated as a major sin, (2) Mentioned a severe punishment or a specific penalty of its doer, and (3) Deeply dispraised or cursed its doer. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It shows Allah's comprehensive mercy, his grace of forgiveness, and his great reward for small acts of worship, and (2) It confirms the virtue of prayer and fasting in expiating sins..

234

Uqbah ibn Amer narrated, "We were entrusted with the task of caring about camels. On my turn, I took them back in the evening after grazing them in the pastures, I found the Messenger of Allah ﷺ standing and addressing people. I heard him saying, "If any Muslim performs ablution properly, then performs two rak'ahs with his face and heart (inwardly and outwardly), Paradise will be guaranteed for him." I said, "What a fine thing is this!" Someone in front of me said, "The words before them were better." When I cast a glance, I saw that it was 'Umar who said, "I have seen that you have just come." He narrated, "If anyone amongst you performs ablution properly, then says, 'I testify that there is no god worthy of worship, but Allah and that Muhammad is the servant and messenger of Allah, the eight gates of Paradise will be opened for him, so he can enter by whichever of them he wishes." In another narration, "Whoever performs ablution and says, 'I testify that there is no god worthy of worship, but Allah and that Muhammad is His servant and messenger.".

Commentary : Allah’s mercy and reward may be for the simplest acts of worship. Thus, simple acts like ablution, prayer, fasting, charity, and others are means to purify people and forgive their sins on the condition that they avoid the major sins. In this hadith, Uqbah ibn Amer narrated that the companions were alternatively responsible for grazing camels outside Medina, for they did not have servants for this task. After finishing his tiring task, Uqbah went to the Prophetic Mosque and found the Prophet (ﷺ) standing and addressing people, "If any Muslim performs ablution properly, then performs two rak'ahs with his face and heart (outwardly and inwardly), Paradise will be guaranteed for him." His words, "... with his face and heart ..." meant to be sincere and submissive and avoid turning face or making heart busy with thoughts other than prayer details. As a result, the reward is Paradise. Uqbah was astonished by this simple act of worship with the glad tiding and supreme reward. Uqbah lately came to the speech, so he did not hear the speech from the beginning. Omar commented on Uqbah’s opinion, "The words before them were better." Omar told him what he (Uqbah) missed of the Prophetic words, "If anyone amongst you performs ablution properly, then says, 'I testify that there is no god worthy of worship but Allah and that Muhammad is the servant and messenger of Allah, the eight gates of Paradise will be opened for him, so he can enter by whichever of them he wishes." Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It clarifies Allah’s great reward. He limitlessly rewards his servants for their simple acts of worship, (2) The virtue of ablution and supplications said afterward, (3) It clarifies the virtue of the two rak'ahs after ablution and urges people to perform them as described in the hadith, (4) It illustrates the companions' keenness to learn and spread the Prophetic knowledge, (5) It stresses that sincerity, devotion to worship, and avoiding worldly concerns are the spirit of worship, (6) It shows the virtue of the two testimonies of monotheism, (7) It describes supreme attributes of the Companions like humility, serving themselves, grazing their camels in spite of their prestige with Allah, (8) It shows the legitimacy of cooperation in the matters of living..

Book of Hadith

| Hadiths

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
The Prophet ﷺ judged that seven cubits should be left as a public way when there was a dispute about the land.
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‘Abdullah ibn Yazeed Al-Khatimee Al-Ansaaree (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet ﷺ forbade robbery (i.e., taking away what belongs to others without their permission), and also forbade mutilation (or maiming) of bodies.
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‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn Al-‘Aas (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated:
I heard the Prophet ﷺ saying, "Whoever is killed while protecting his property is a martyr."
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Raafi‘ ibn Khadeej (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
We used to offer the ‘Asr prayer with the Prophet ﷺ and slaughter a camel, the meat of which would be divided in ten parts. We would eat the cooked meat before sunset.
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Anas ibn Malek narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "I will be the first intercessor in Paradise. Not a prophet among prophets has followers like me. There is a prophet who was believed by only one man from his nation.".

Anas ibn Malek narrated, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “I will be the first to intercede in (allowing people to enter) Paradise and have the most followers in comparison with other prophets.”.

Anas narrated that a man asked, “O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, where is my father?” The Prophet ﷺ answered, “In Hell.” When the man turned away, the Prophet ﷺ called him and said, “Verily, my father and your father are in Hell.”.

Abu Saeed Al-Khudry narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Verily, the least tormented one of the people of Hell is who will wear two shoes of fire so his brain will boil due to the heat of his shoes.”.

Aisha narrated, "I said, 'O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, Ibn Jud'an used to establish ties of relationship and fed the poor. Will it benefit him?'" He answered, "It will not benefit him, for he did not ever say, 'O my God, forgive my sins on the Day of Recompense.’”.

Uthman ibn Affan narrated, "I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying, 'Whoever properly performs ablution for prayer, walks to (attend) the obligatory prayer, and prays with the people, with the congregation, or in the mosque, Allah will forgive him his sins.'".

Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "The five (daily) prayers, the periods from one Friday prayer to the (next) Friday prayer, and from Ramadan to Ramadan expiate the (sins) committed in between provided that one shuns the major sins.".

Book of Hadith

| Hadiths

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) The Prophet ﷺ judged that seven cubits should be left as a public way when there was a dispute about the land. .

‘Abdullah ibn Yazeed Al-Khatimee Al-Ansaaree (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet ﷺ forbade robbery (i.e., taking away what belongs to others without their permission), and also forbade mutilation (or maiming) of bodies. .

‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn Al-‘Aas (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated: I heard the Prophet ﷺ saying, "Whoever is killed while protecting his property is a martyr." .

Raafi‘ ibn Khadeej (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: We used to offer the ‘Asr prayer with the Prophet ﷺ and slaughter a camel, the meat of which would be divided in ten parts. We would eat the cooked meat before sunset. .

Anas ibn Malek narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "I will be the first intercessor in Paradise. Not a prophet among prophets has followers like me. There is a prophet who was believed by only one man from his nation.".

Anas ibn Malek narrated, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “I will be the first to intercede in (allowing people to enter) Paradise and have the most followers in comparison with other prophets.”.

Anas narrated that a man asked, “O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, where is my father?” The Prophet ﷺ answered, “In Hell.” When the man turned away, the Prophet ﷺ called him and said, “Verily, my father and your father are in Hell.”.

Abu Saeed Al-Khudry narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Verily, the least tormented one of the people of Hell is who will wear two shoes of fire so his brain will boil due to the heat of his shoes.”.

Aisha narrated, "I said, 'O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, Ibn Jud'an used to establish ties of relationship and fed the poor. Will it benefit him?'" He answered, "It will not benefit him, for he did not ever say, 'O my God, forgive my sins on the Day of Recompense.’”.

Uthman ibn Affan narrated, "I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying, 'Whoever properly performs ablution for prayer, walks to (attend) the obligatory prayer, and prays with the people, with the congregation, or in the mosque, Allah will forgive him his sins.'".

Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "The five (daily) prayers, the periods from one Friday prayer to the (next) Friday prayer, and from Ramadan to Ramadan expiate the (sins) committed in between provided that one shuns the major sins.".

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
The Prophet ﷺ judged that seven cubits should be left as a public way when there was a dispute about the land.
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‘Abdullah ibn Yazeed Al-Khatimee Al-Ansaaree (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet ﷺ forbade robbery (i.e., taking away what belongs to others without their permission), and also forbade mutilation (or maiming) of bodies.
.

‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn Al-‘Aas (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated:
I heard the Prophet ﷺ saying, "Whoever is killed while protecting his property is a martyr."
.

Raafi‘ ibn Khadeej (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
We used to offer the ‘Asr prayer with the Prophet ﷺ and slaughter a camel, the meat of which would be divided in ten parts. We would eat the cooked meat before sunset.
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